Police are investigating after an anti-Israel protest group targeted Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto.

Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital, a century-old Canadian medical facility originally built for Jewish doctors and discriminated against patients but now treating the city's entire population, became the latest target of anti-Israel protests on February 12.

Protesters occupied a section of University Avenue south, with one man climbing a pole and waving a Palestinian flag from above the hospital, while the crowd below chanted “Intifada, Intifada.”

The protest followed an evening march in front of the Israeli consulate on Bloor Street before moving to University Avenue near the hospitals.

The Toronto Police Service (TPS) confirmed in a statement that they are “investigating several incidents that occurred in front of Mount Sinai Hospital and along the demonstration route.”

No arrests have been made in connection with the incident, although police reiterated in a statement that charges are sometimes filed later after an investigation.

“As we've said before, officers use their discretion during mass demonstrations and even if it's not considered safe to make an arrest at the time, investigations will continue and charges may be filed at a later date,” TPS media relations officer Caroline de Cloet wrote.

TPS will increase police presence on hospital lines to “ensure the availability of essential hospital services and emergency routes,” the statement said. Police are also appealing for anyone who witnessed the protest or was harassed to contact them.

State officials targeted Mount Sinai. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident “reprehensible” in his social media posts.

Yesterday's demonstration at Mount Sinai Hospital was reprehensible. Hospitals are places of treatment and care, not of protest and intimidation.

I strongly condemn this manifestation of anti-Semitism. In Toronto and across Canada, we stand with the Jewish community against this hatred.

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 13, 2024

The federal government has passed a law against protests in hospital zones, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said when asked about the incident on Feb. 13, referring to the 2021 legislation that addressed COVID-related protests in hospitals.

The prime minister's brother, former Toronto mayor Rob Ford, was treated at Mount Sinai during an 18-month battle with a rare form of cancer before his death in 2016.

“Teachers, be reasonable,” Ford said.

“Don't break the law. That's exactly what happened.”

“Illegal too… I don't care what you're protesting. Don't stop people from going to the hospital,” Ford told reporters.

Deborah Lyons, the special envoy for anti-Semitism, said today (February 13) she will call Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow and the city's police chief to discuss how to stop the Mount Sinai intimidation. Hospital and Jews in Toronto and Canada.

“It's anti-Semitic, it's illegal and it's immoral.”

We are calling the mayor and police chief of Toronto today to discuss how they can stop this despicable targeting of Mount Sinai Hospital and Jews in Toronto and Canada. Leaders – at all levels – are… https://t.co/6jtDEKkvbh

— Deborah Lyons (@DeborahLyonsSE) February 13, 2024

Several parliamentarians, including conservative Melissa Lanzmann and liberal Marco Mendicino, also blessed the Mount Sinai protest in online statements.

An embassy? No.
Consulate? No.
A government office? No.

The group selected patients, their families, nurses, doctors and all those who help save lives inside the hospital.

They chose the Jews because this is the Mount Sinai Hospital.

Very rude. #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/Ntv90f7Wk6

— Melissa Lantsman (@MelissaLantsman) February 13, 2024

Emergency physician Raghu Venugopal took to the internet to protest the demonstration in front of the medical facility.

“Interfering with or obstructing access to patients or staff is a criminal offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison.” Venugopal added.

“It's legal to protest, but not in a hospital.”

Jaime Kirzner-Roberts, vice-president of the Greater Toronto Area for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), says the protest outside the Israeli consulate and then outside the hospital sends a clear message.

“For Jew-haters, the Israeli consulate is a hospital, a Jewish Canadian institution. It is the same for them,” he told CJN in an interview.

“It's a blatant act of hatred and anti-Semitism to target a Jewish public hospital because of what's happening halfway around the world.”

According to Kirzner-Roberts, her great-grandfather was one of the founders of Mount Sinai Hospital about 100 years ago.

“This is a hospital that was established to provide care for Jews who otherwise would not have access to care and to provide a place where Jewish health care professionals can work without facing hostility,” he said.

“After all these decades and decades, after everything that's happened in the world, it's very disturbing to see this being targeted. This cannot be tolerated, not for a minute.”

The CJN sought comment from Mount Sinai Hospital but did not receive a response by deadline.

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